TEHRAN – Iranian Privatization Organization (IPO) transferred 1.698 trillion rials (about $47.979 million) worth of Iranian state-run companies’ shares to the private sector in the first five months of the present Iranian calendar year (March 20- August 21, 2016), Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.

Iranian state-run companies transferred 29.662 trillion rials (about $838.146 million) worth of their shares to the private sector in the past Iranian calendar year of 1394 (which ended on March 19), the Tasnim News Agency reported in mid-April.
The country transferred 47.738 trillion rials (over $1.348 billion) worth of shares of state-run companies to the private sector in the calendar year of 1393, reportedly.  
The Iranian government envisioned a large privatization program in the Fifth Five-Year National Development Plan (2010-2015), aiming to privatize about 20 percent of the state-owned firms each year.  
Under the present interpretation of the Article 44 of Iran's Constitution, hundreds of state-owned companies have been privatized.

HJ/MA